Consumers of hair cosmetic products such as hair care and hair styling products actively seek out multi-functional, new products that can impart good styling benefits to hair, are durable or last longer on the hair, even with several washings or shampooings and can impart other cosmetic attributes. At the same time, such products have to be pleasing to the senses, both on application and in use, and which have innovative, interesting and/or pleasing textures, preferably without any sacrifice to functional performance. In addition, many consumers seek hair care products which provide a light feel, are easy to apply, moisturize or condition, and add shine to the hair. The resulting feel and texture of the product during the application process, in addition to the feel of the hair after the application, are also important elements of such commodities.
It is also highly desirable for manufacturers of hair cosmetic products to make products that prevent or minimize the frizziness of hair, particularly under high humidity conditions in which hair tends to absorb moisture causing it to be less manageable, which makes it more difficult to shape and style hair. Applying a coating, such as a moisture barrier or a film on the hair can help to keep moisture out of the hair, allowing for more efficient hair shaping and maintenance of hair shape, even in extreme humidity conditions.
Thus one challenge for manufacturers of hair cosmetic products is in making products that help hair maintain its shape or style even after several washing or shampooings/washings. These products are also expected to impart longer lasting frizz control, as well as prevent or minimize the reversion of curly hair that has been straightened to a curly state, especially under very humid conditions.
Traditional compositions on the cosmetic market appear in various forms. They can range anywhere from solutions, foams, gels, creams, waxes, mousses, sprays, serums, to aerosols and can impart a variety of levels of care and cosmeticity depending on the state of the hair and skin. However, these conventional cosmetic compositions contain emulsifying systems which may have limitations and may be less appealing to the consumer. For example, the use of silicone compounds in some of these compositions to achieve desirable shine or certain textures and feel may result in other limitations. Such limitations may include sticky or greasy products, irritation on the skin/scalp, a heavy or oily feel to the hair and skin, and the use of high levels of raw materials or additional ingredients to correct for the detrimental effects of other ingredients, leading to a costly product. Therefore, there is still a need to improve currently marketed commodities in order to provide the consumer with innovative formulations that present sensory, functionality and cost-effective perspectives on cosmetic products.
Generally, products that are designed to impart styling or shaping benefits may come in the form of hair styling or hair care/hair treatment products. Some drawbacks associated with current products for styling or shaping the hair are that the product is often sticky or tacky and/or often produces a film that imparts a sticky or tacky feel, and styled hair that is stiff and/or “crunchy” (i.e. the film is hard and brittle resulting in a crunching feel or sound when the hair is touched), which is undesirable for most consumers. Also challenges exist with formulating hair care/hair treatment products such as rinse-out products (e.g., shampoos, conditioners, hair masques, hair treatments) that impart long-lasting styling, shaping or anti-frizz benefits to the hair, even after rinsing out the products from hair.
Current products for imparting styling or shaping benefits to the hair typically include water soluble film-forming polymers. Depending on the chemical make-up of these polymers, they may be either soluble in water, or they may be water insoluble polymers which are made water soluble via various chemical modifications, such as neutralization. Solutions comprising these polymers tend to be viscous, i.e. as the concentration of the polymer increases, its viscosity builds up rapidly. Translated to styling applications, as the solvent evaporates, the polymer solution becomes thicker on the hair surface, resulting in a sticky or tacky film. These products also tend to exhibit problems with product spreadability, hair manageability, and low degree of humidity resistance which is particularly a problem in hot and humid countries.
Thus, the ability to maintain the shape of hair, and achieve a strong frizz control, good styling hold, good texture and shine on hair, while providing a clean, natural and light-weight feel to the hair remain as additional areas for improvement, particularly in connection with certain type of polymers such as silicone-based polymers.
It has now been discovered that by providing a composition comprising at least two latex polymers, wherein at least one of said latex polymers is a film-forming polymer, and at least one silicone-organic compound, it is possible to form a film on a substrate such as hair that has certain desirable properties, such as durable or long lasting style and frizz control. It was also discovered that frizz control benefits can be long-lasting, i.e, frizz control was observed even after shampooing and/or washing the hair or even after several shampoo and/or wash cycles and/or in high humidity conditions. It has also been discovered that said composition can impart shape and/or maintain the shape of hair, provide a good styling hold, and good texture and shine to the hair as well as a clean, natural, and/or “invisible” feel, and a lack of stickiness. Such compositions may be useful in hair-styling applications wherein styling benefits such as a natural look, curling or straightening, and styling hold are desired.
Moreover, compositions according to embodiments of the invention may be prepared that deliver a surprisingly broad range of hair styling or shaping benefits, such as, for example, from low to high style-hold and curl elongation or hair straightening properties, for example by varying the weight ratio between both latex polymers, and/or varying the weight ratio of the combined amount of the latex polymers to the silicone-organic polymer compound, with or without additives.